She was a passionate and dedicated cheerleader for our athletes during this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics.

And it seems nothing would stop the Duchess of Cambridge continuing that role last night – not even the crippling form of morning sickness that has plagued her for the last two weeks.

She made her first formal public appearance since her pregnancy was announced at he BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony in London, where she presented two awards.

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Top trio: The Duchess of Cambridge has the broadest smile of the three as she stands next to Sports Personality of the Year Bradley Wiggins, with David Beckham on the left

Popular choice: Bradley Wiggins receives the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award from the Duchess of Cambridge

The Duchess of Cambridge walked out in an Alexander McQueen green dress matched with a
striking smile as she presented chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Seb Coe with the Lifetime Achievement award.

She stayed on the stage throughout Coe's speech and was then on hand to present the Sports Personality of the Year award on to Bradley Wiggins.

Runner-up was Team GB heptathlete Jessica Ennis, who won gold in the 2012 Games, and in third place was tennis star Andy Murray, who also won gold at the London Olympics.

Her decision to honour the engagement after being forced to cancel her last four public appearances is a sign that the 30-year-old is slowly recovering after spending several days in hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum earlier this month.

Aides said the duchess, a Team GB Ambassador, was keen to attend to pay tribute to the achievements of British sportsmen and women in a remarkable year for British sport.

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A fortnight after she fell ill with a
crippling form of morning sickness, the Duchess finally made her first
formal public appearance.

But
sources close to Kate, less than 12 weeks pregnant, stressed that she
would only attend the evening-long event at London’s ExCel for around 45
minutes before returning home to Kensington Palace, where she continues
to recuperate.

Doctors have warned her that the
condition can recur at any time in the first few months of pregnancy -
and sometimes even beyond.

‘While
the Duchess does not feel ready to attend a four-hour engagement, she
is keen to show her support to the UK’s sportsmen and women at this
prestigious event which caps a momentous year for British sport,’ said a
senior royal source.

Kate attended the event alone as her
husband, Prince William, has been forced to return to their rented
farmhouse in Anglesey, North Wales, as he is due on duty as an RAF
Search and Rescue pilot.

Sharing a laugh: The Duchess looked in good spirits as she shared a joke with David Beckham

So close: The Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she stands alongside runner-up Jessica Ennis

Beaming: The Duchess of Cambridge (left) and Jessica Ennis have a chat backstage after the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2012

Great job: Kate appears to be sympathetic after Ennis missed out on the top prize

But the fact that the prince felt confident enough to leave her suggests that he, too, is encouraged by her recovery.

He will return to London in time for Christmas but aides have yet to announce whether they plan to join the Royal Family at Sandringham, in line with tradition.

While it would be extremely unusual
for the future king and his wife to miss the annual celebrations on the
Queen’s Norfolk estate – including the traditional visit to church on
Christmas morning – sources have indicated that Kate is ‘seriously’
considering remaining in Berkshire with her family so she can recover in
peace and be closer to hospital if she takes a turn for the worse.

The wonder of Wiggins: King of the road wins BBC sports personality of the year

By LOUISE ECCLES

He hates being a ‘celebrity’ and says he is just a ‘shy bloke’ who likes to ride a bike.

But there was no escaping the limelight when cyclist Bradley Wiggins was crowned the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year last night.

Wiggins, who took Olympic gold nine days after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France, was the overwhelming winner after 1.5million members of the public voted.

He was presented with his trophy by the Duchess of Cambridge. Kate, who was making her first formal public appearance since falling ill with severe morning sickness two weeks ago, looked elegant in a floor-length bottle green Alexander McQueen dress.

Champion: Winner of Sports Personality of the Year 2012, Bradley Wiggins (left) gives his victory speech watched by The Duchess of Cambridge and second-placed Jessica Ennis (right)

Kate was keen to attend the awards ceremony at the Excel, in London’s Docklands, because of her role as an ambassador for the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Wiggins, 32, who had been the runaway favourite to win the award, beat heptathlete Jessica Ennis, who took second place, and tennis star Andy Murray, who came third.

Wiggins, a father of two, said: ‘I’m not going to swear tonight so I’m just going to say thank you very much to everyone who picked up the phone and voted.

‘We have had all that jungle stuff and X Factor so thank you to all the people who picked up the phone and paid their £1.50.’

He told his grandmother her ‘cheque was in the post’ because ‘you pushed redial so many times’ and told his two children they could now go to bed.

Golden year: Bradley Wiggins celebrates his Tour de France win (left) and revels in the glory of his gold medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games men's individual time trial road cycling event (right)

You win again: Wiggo was last night crowned sports personality of the year

He appeared tearful at one point, calling the honour ‘incredible’. He added: ‘There’s a free bar ... paid for by the BBC so I hope you’re all going to go there tonight.’

Afterwards the cyclist said he couldn’t believe that runner Mo Farah, who attended the ceremony with his wife Tania and daughter Rihanna, hadn’t made the final three,

David Cameron paid tribute to Wiggins on Twitter, writing: ‘Congratulations to Bradley Wiggins – a truly inspirational winner, after an incredible year for British sport.’

After the hugely controversial men-only finals last year, there were five women on the 12-strong shortlist. Ennis was joined by Olympic rowing champion Katherine Grainger, boxing medallist Nicola Adams, Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey.

THE SPORTS PERSONALITY WINNERS IN FULL

Sports Personality of the Year - Bradley Wiggins

Lifetime Achievement Award - Lord Coe

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year - Usain Bolt

Coach of the Year - Dave Brailsford, Performance Director of British Cycling